Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Topless Strawberries and Such

I'm super picky and the first time someone tried to serve me fruit salsa, I refused. I didn't like salsa (at the time) and I didn't like trying new things. She basically forced me to eat it and I have become a little obsessed with it since! So, thanks, Allyson!

I make this a lot and some people have asked me for the recipe, so here is the way I make it. You can Google it and find tons of other ways with sugar and fruit preservatives and raspberries added. I don't do any of that (isn't fruit sweet enough already?). All you need is:

1 lb. of strawberries, topless (I got a huller just for when I make fruit salsa and I love it!)

2 kiwis, peeled

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled (don't go trying to throw some red apple in there because it's cheaper. It doesn't taste the same)

1 package of 10-inch tortillas (size doesn't actually matter, it just depends on how many chips you want)

Butter, softened (NOT MARGARINE - you might as well throw it in the trash if you are going to use margarine)

Cinnamon sugar (there was recently a debate on whether it should be more cinnamony or more sugary and I may have converted to cinnamony)

Directions without so much jibberjabber:

Chop peeled fruit. Mix and chill.

Butter tortillas. Slice into chips.

Bake for 5 mins (chewier) or 8 mins (crispier) in a single layer.

Dip and enjoy!

Directions with my preferred methods and side-notes:

After you've peeled and detopped (what would you call that?) the fruit you can either hand chop all of it or throw it in a chopper and call it delicious. I was hand chopping until I got married and was gifted THE NINJA! Now, it takes no time to make this.

About consistency: I was so worried about it being right at first, but really it's kind of how you like your salsa. Chunky? Smooth? Well, do as you choose. Mine usually looks about like this:

Next, I usually put the salsa in the fridge to chill while I make the tortilla chips. The best way I have found to make them is to butter each tortilla and stack them as you go. Softened butter (I leave mine sitting out in a butter dish all the time) works better than melted butter or butter spray or any other alternative you think would be better. After they're generously buttered, slice the tortillas into chip-sized portions, like so:

Then, I pour some of the cinnamon sugar into either a gallon sized Ziploc, or to save a bag I use the bag the tortillas came in, and shake about 10 chips at a time to make sure they're fully coated.

About the extent of my eco-friendliness

Before they're cooked - try one. They're delicious then, too!

Then, you lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes (after the 5 minutes I usually broil them for about 30 seconds to caramelize them a bit). They are more chewy-ish chips if you only do 5 minutes. If you prefer crisper chips bake for 8 minutes. That's it! And you have satisfied customers every time!